


Good, The Bad and the...Whatever, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e09 Galileo, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-05-03
Updated: 2005-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-15 21:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14798081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Sam, Josh and Toby take care of business.





	Good, The Bad and the...Whatever, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Good, The Bad and the…Whatever**

**by: Francesca**

**Pairing(s):** Hint of Sam/CJ (but it IS just a hint).  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters (I wish) but am just borrowing them for a while I will put them back – honest, no copyright infringement is intended. I'm just taking Sam Seaborn's advice #grins# "Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright." I'm not borrowing or stealing, just sneaking some use while no one's looking.   
**Summary:** Sam, Josh and Toby take care of business.   
**Spoiler:** Post Ep for Galileo (can be read with ‘Great Beyond’ – but doesn’t have to be)  
**Author's Note:** Credit as always to Karen, who puts up with a full ‘mail box and my random ‘plot bunny’ attacks, as well as helping me get my thoughts into a readable form 

I hadn’t been in my office very long when Donna pokes her head around the door. 

“Good morning Donna” 

She looks at me “I think you need to go and see Sam”. 

“Donna that’s your cue to say ‘good morning Josh’, not to give me an instruction”. 

“I wasn’t giving you an instruction I was making a suggestion” 

“It sounded very much like an instruction from here Donna and I haven’t had a ‘Good Morning’ yet”. 

She shoots me ‘the look’, the one that says ‘I am impervious to your blandishments’ and leans against the door frame, she’s settling in for duration. It’s going to be which ever one of us blinks first. 

I settle in my chair, I don’t think it’s going to be me. 

“Joshua” Oh dear I’m in trouble now. 

“Yes Donnatella” When we start using full first names it’s the verbal equivalent of two gunslingers standing on Main street waiting for the town hall clock to strike noon. 

“Why do you think I need to go see Sam anyway?” 

“I saw him coming in this morning and he looked kinda upset” 

“Upset?” 

“Well angry would be a better word” 

I know my face registers surprise and disbelief, and then a certain amount of concern, Sam doesn’t get mad, he gets righteously indignant sometimes but otherwise remains unflustered. It can be Republicans, TV shows, talking heads or instapundits but Sam isn’t even ruffled by the traffic on DuPont Circle on a morning, and he’s been working with Toby for three years without even breaking into a sweat. I allow myself a slight grin, there aren’t many people who can say they’ve survived three years with Toby Zeigler, maybe they should give Sam an award, we could even print up T shirts. 

What I say is “Sam, Angry?” in a tone that conveys my disbelief, and this is from a man with 770 verbal. From the look on Donna’s face she’s allowing herself a moment of triumph, she’s hooked me. 

“Yes, he stalked in and was already yelling at Cathy to arrange him a meeting at State, and I don’t know what’s got him this riled but he shouldn’t go up there like that” she pauses “I don’t know what he’d leave standing”. 

I start to get up from my seat and then stop. “Give me my good morning and I’ll go see Sam” 

Donna sighs, and the sigh speaks volumes. “Good morning Joshua”. 

I smile sweetly at her, an answering grin twinges at the corners of her mouth and she can’t help herself. 

“Now go, see Sam” she turns on her heel and heads out the door. 

I follow her and walk down the hall to the Communications office, Toby’s sitting at his desk scribbling on a legal pad, all well there then. 

I’m standing in the doorway of Sam’s office though and that’s a different story. The Deputy Communications director is stuffing files into his briefcase, in a way that suggests something other than his normal calm demeanour, and muttering under his breath. Since the fragments of speech I can make out sound decidedly unfriendly, and one could say slightly miffed, I can only assume that Donna was right, Man she's so gonna enjoy knowing that when she coaxes an admission out of me, or I let it slip, whichever comes first. 

“Hi Sam” 

Sam whirls around and the look on his face convinces me there’s something seriously wrong. 

“Hi” Sam mutters and starts looking around on his desk for something. 

“So what’s going on?” 

“I’m going up to State” 

“Why?” 

“I need to talk to Tad Whitney”. 

“Why?” this is like trying to squeeze blood from a stone, but there’s something behind Sam’s foul mood and I want to get to the bottom of it. 

“I spoke to C.J last night” 

“And?” 

“And now I’m going to see Tad Whitney” 

I cross my arms “I really don’t think you should go over to State in this mood Sam”. 

“This is exactly the sort of mood I should be going to State in” Sam’s most emphatic as he shuts his briefcase. 

I think for a second, and lean around the door frame into another office and yell “Toby”. 

Toby looks up from his papers “What?” he growls. 

“Come here a minute would ya?” 

Toby gets up from his desk and walks out of his office and into Sam’s, whilst shooting me a look that says ‘this had better be for something important’. 

“Sam wants to go over to State and I don’t think he should go until he calms down”. 

Toby looks at us both “this is what you bothered me for?” then his eyes take in the look on Sam’s face. Sam’s got blue eyes, the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen, but this morning they’re blazing and his fists are clenching and unclenching and I don’t think he’s noticed. 

“Why do you need to go over to State? We don’t have anything with them for a while” 

Sam looks at his writing partner and erstwhile boss. “I want words with Tad Whitney”. 

“In this mood?” Toby spreads his hands for a moment, “look we don’t have any issues with State just now, and I’d like to keep it that way”. 

“He threatened her Toby!” it comes out as close to a shout. 

“Threatened who?” 

“C.J” Sam’s words hang in the air for a moment and Toby’s face changes; I know mine’s looking suitably shocked. Tad Whitney threatened C.J? That slime ball… 

“When do we leave?” Toby growls. 

“I’m right behind you, let’s posse up.” Sam picks up his briefcase “Right now, I'm gonna bust him like a piñata.” The look on Toby’s face indicates not if he gets there first. He turns and shouts at Ginger “Hold my calls I’m going to State with Sam”. His tone of voice makes Ginger look up from her desk, and she’s used to Toby by now but the look on his face makes her take a step back. I pick up the phone and dial Donna’s extension, I hear her pick up and don’t let her speak. “Hold my calls we’re going to State, and we could be some time” “Why are you going to State?” I look at Sam, who is gripping his briefcase handle so hard his knuckles are white, Toby who has begun to clench and unclench his fists, and I know that Ginger’s just backed off after seeing the looks on our faces. “Sometimes it ain't easy having pals”. I hang up before she gets chance to ask me to explain. Sam walks out of his office and Toby and I fall in slightly behind him, we’re walking through the West Wing and people are backing out of our way and standing looking after us… We’re part way to the main gate before Toby breaks the silence. “What did he threaten her about?” Sam doesn’t turn round, so I can’t see his face, but the tone of his voice tells me all I need to know. “The Deputy’s job” “You mean that we’re going to go and threaten Tad Whitney over a job?” Toby sounds slightly disbelieving. “No. But I’m going to go and threaten Tad Whitney because he thinks C.J didn’t pick him for the job because they went out five years ago and change. Because he told her he thinks she’s unprofessional. And that he was going to make sure people know about it. And he told her she’s got a problem now. And I’m going to fix that problem, you and Josh are just along for the ride” “Oh” There’s nothing I can say at this time, so I don’t. “He didn’t get the job because Simon’s better qualified, and he could jump up and down about that but it’s not going to change. He threatens C.J and it’s a different can of tuna altogether.” Sam sounds a touch protective and I’m trying to remember if that’s new. I mean he’s always been chivalrous, look at the business with Laurie last year, but I’m trying to think if he’s always been this protective of C.J or if this is something different. Toby’s thinks for a moment “So how are we going to play this?” Sam stops for a second, “it’s simple, I know something he doesn’t, and I’m going to let him know I know. You and Josh get to stand behind me, look like you know what I do and snarl at the appropriate moments” “What do you know we don’t?” Toby hates being out of the loop, so do I but when Sam’s in this mood I know better than to go digging. “I’ll tell you later”. “How you gonna make him scared of your threat?” “Oh he’ll be scared of my threat. I may be less visually observant than others, but I make up for it." “How?” I had to ask “With cunning and guile.” Sam smiles and I’m suddenly reminded again why he’s such a good lawyer, and why I’ll never play serious poker with him. Toby looks at me and his face has got ‘can he pull this off’ written all over it, I nod. Sam’s too sure about this not to have something up his sleeve. We’re walking again, and it’s not too long before we get to State, I’ll tell you one thing a White House Pass gets you access anywhere no questions asked. We don’t even have to sign in, which from Sam’s pleased grin seems to suit him down to the ground. “How do you know if he’s even going to be in?” Toby asks as we walk down the corridor. “I had Ginger call and check his diary” he stops and looks at us. “Are you ready?” I say “yes” while Toby just nods. “And you know there’s a plan?” We both nod. Sam grins, “One for all and all for one”. Toby and I exchange looks and decide that in the circumstances now is a good time to humour him. 

Sam turns and knocks on a door; a voice yells “Enter”. Hell I’ll answer my own door, though only if it’s not left open or Donna’s not around. I know Tad doesn’t rate a secretary, from what Donna was telling me though this is a good job ‘cause none of the assistants at State are willing to work for him. What was C.J doing dating this guy, even if it was five years ago? I wonder this again when Sam opens the door and we walk in. Tad looks up from his paperwork, and I swear he’s only just picked it up because he’s holding the briefing paper upside down. Toby and I arrange ourselves either side of Sam and Toby’s face is already set, I’m thinking about schooling my face into something suitably menacing and then I remember this sleaze threatened C.J and wants to cause us problems, and from the look Toby’s just shot me I think I’ve got the right face now. “I was wondering when the clean up squad was going to arrive” Tad leans back in his chair, “so what are you going to offer me?” Damn this guy’s smug. “How about a chance to keep your job” Tad leans forward “I don’t think you understand Seaborn. You want me to spell it out for you?” Sam doesn’t even flinch, Toby’s ready to take a step forward and I put one hand out behind Sam’s back to stop him. “Let’s start at the beginning shall we? I interview for the Deputy post and I don’t get it. I’m surprised ‘cause I’m pretty qualified. In fact, there are a lot of people here at State who thought I was a lock. Now what I know and they don’t is I dated your Press Secretary for six weeks five years ago. I think it’s personal, and I think it’s unprofessional. I think people are gonna know about this. And I think you’ve got a problem now. And if I was speaking loud enough last night, and I think I was, at least three guys standing outside the Kennedy centre heard the whole conversation, including your precious C.J announcing she’s great in bed. Now I can’t hope that they were press, I’m not that lucky, but they will pass it around, how long before it ends up in the gossip columns and someone comes to see me? And what could I tell them when they do? 

Now C.J obviously realises she’s got a serious problem or you three wouldn’t be here. So what are you going to offer me?” He’s looking smug again and Toby’s clenching and unclenching his fists. “It had better be better than your last offer Sammy or I may find the number of someone I know at the ‘Post, an ‘anonymous source’ should help things along nicely.” 

Sam’s shaking his head “You’re already in a six foot hole Tad, and you really should stop digging”. 

“You can say what you like Seaborn, but I have three witnesses”. 

“Well actually you don’t” 

Tad looks at him, and looks a little puzzled. 

“You keep forgetting the flamingo is a protected species Tad” 

Toby and I look at each other, and Toby grins briefly, the light dawns just as Sam continues. 

“You don’t think the Secret Service lets the 3rd most visible person in the administration after the President and the Vice President walk around without protection at an event like that do you? And since they can’t be obvious or they’re no protection, they look just like everyone else, in this case three guys having a chat and possibly a smoke outside the Kennedy Centre. You’re lucky you didn’t take a step closer or you’d have got nearer to the business end of a service revolver than you ever want to go”. 

I don’t think Tad was expecting that one, he looks a little less smug now, and by the set of Sam’s shoulders he’s not finished yet. 

“Now there’s the small matter of you threatening the White House Press Secretary” he stresses her title “and you threatening to cause problems for the administration which IS the Government, which happens to employ you." 

Sam puts his briefcase down on the guest chair and opens it, with what I’d describe as a courtroom flourish he produces a file and hands it to Tad. 

“And if you’ll take a moment to flick through this, there’s the small matter of you applying for a job you knew you had no chance of passing the required checks for. Infact having read this file I’m wondering how you passed the security checks for the job that you now hold. Now if I so much as hear a squeak of an anonymous source, so much as the fact you’ve complained about the stationary, then that file you’re holding becomes very, very public. Infact if I’m not satisfied that you understand me, if my friends here” he gestures to Toby and me “aren’t satisfied that you understand me. The first place I go with that file when I leave this place is the Secretary of State’s office, and after all I have witnesses don’t I Tad?” 

Tad’s leafing through the file and getting progressively paler, infact he looks decidedly sick. Damn what’s Sam got in there? 

Sam holds his hand out for the file, Tad looks reluctant to hand it over and Sam makes a show of throwing his hands in the air “Oh you can keep it if you like I have copies, as do Josh and Toby”. Tad looks at us and he’s looking decidedly green about the gills now. “In fact I have a spare in my case” he turns to us “I think we have an appointment with the Secretary of State we should be attending don’t we?” 

Toby and I catch the look on Sam’s face and make affirmative noises. Sam turns back to Tad who is already reaching over his desk to try to give Sam the file back as though it’s burning him. 

What is IN that thing? 

“So are you going to co-operate Tad? Because you do understand don’t you, if I hear you’ve mentioned anything, if I read anything that could have remotely be traced to your mouth it's not gonna be C.J. Cregg you gotta deal with, it's gonna be me. You understand what I'm saying, right? And when I’m done, it will be Josh, and it will be Toby, both of whom I’ve had to restrain from killing you right now. But mostly it will be me” Sam taps the file on his hand. From the bug eyes look on Tad’s face and the way his eyes are following that file I think we’re almost done. 

Tad nods “I’m going to co-operate.” 

“‘Cause you're scared of my threat?” 

“Yes”. 

“Good.” 

He makes a show of putting the file back in his briefcase and turns to us “Our work here’s done boys”. I wonder if Sam realises he’s gone from sounding like a lawyer to something out of a gangster movie? Or possibly a western? 

Toby and I head out of the door and Sam stops for a moment in the doorway and looks back “Oh Tad, three things, the first is I think C.J deserves an apology don’t you?” 

Tad nods “The second is that unless you want me to explain all this to someone, we weren’t here” more nodding “and thirdly don’t call me Sammy!” 

He chooses that moment to pull the door shut, hiding a stunned, and very deflated Tad from my sight. 

We head out of the building and it’s not until we’re about a block away that Toby puts his hand on Sam’s shoulder and stops him. 

Sam’s grinning, Toby’s smiling, which I’m sure is against the laws of probability, God and man and I’m about ready to laugh out loud. 

“You’re da man Sam” 

“You did good” which is high praise coming from Toby. “But what the hell’s in that file?” 

Sam grins, “I had a word with Ron last night after I dropped C.J home, by that time he’d already debriefed his agents. I don’t think that guy ever sleeps. Anyway he wasn’t any happier about last night than I was but couldn’t do anything about it without it being official”. 

I know my mouth’s hanging open “you mean that’s?” 

“Tad Whitney’s Secret Service file? Which also happens to contain his F.B.I file? Yep” Sam’s looking particularly smug. “I wasn’t kidding, you and Toby both get copies as insurance, the original’s already back where I got it from. All I’ll say is don’t leave it laying around where anyone easily shocked could get their hands on it” Sam pulls a face “there’s some stuff in there I didn’t know was legal as well as a few things that I KNOW aren’t” 

“You cleaned up in there” Toby’s still grinning. 

“You’ve just witnessed what his professor at Duke used to call the ‘Seaborn Smackdown’” I’m so pleased right now I’m going to go back and tease Donna. 

“Now what are we going to tell C.J?” trust Toby to be practical. 

Sam and I look at each other; she’ll likely kill us for this. 

“It’s on a need to know basis” I say thoughtfully. 

“And she doesn’t need to know” Toby fills in. 

We exchange looks and the pact is sealed, Toby starts walking again and muttering about something he and Sam have to work out on a speech for the Energy Conservancy council. I’ve got to be up at the Hill this afternoon with the D triple C But right now it’s good to be where I am, and from the looks on their faces I think Toby and Sam feel the same way. 


End file.
